The field comes out tomorrow.

Horses that I've heard will be targeting the race include Zurella, Our Famous Eve, Choice Bro, Neo, Joey Massino, Tyne Cot, Miss Pelear, Brave Centaur and Postman's Daughter.

Stupid question and I know the very nice winning streak Brave Centaur has going right now (and like him very very much!) but it seems a little strange to see his name in with this group.

I know it's his first G1 (at least i think so!) but (and forgive my dumb question) but is this his first stakes race?

I mean no disrespect and like i said I like him... he knows how to win (!)... but I just can't remember him facing horses of this level.

Yeah, you're absolutely right - this is his first time in any stakes race. It's a big step up for him! But I think he has earned it with his amazing winning sequence.

Tyne Cot is a similar one - four wins in seven starts, but he's never run at stakes level.

It'll be interesting to see if they can handle it!

I'm looking at the 3yos here - Choice Bro and Neo. They've got to be big chances with light weights on their back.

Just saw the final field...VERY nice!

Who do you suppose gets the Zurella mount?

Good luck to Pinzaara!

Matt Cameron will ride Zurella. :)

Thanks! It's going to be hard from that wide gate.

Well I hope she wins for you! :)

Hey what do you think of Viadanas chances? I just watched the Japan Trophy again and wow she was really good!

Yeah, she is good! She's a little bit inconsistent. Her last five races: 1st, 10th, 7th, 6th, 2nd. So you never really know what you're going to get! If she brings her A game, she'll be hard to beat.

Easter Handicap odds:
Brave Centaur 12
Capone 50
Happy Guys 27
Maximum Height 18
Viadana 14
Zurella 5f
Sir Lovesalot 20
Sum Up 16
Miss Pelear 25
Postman's Daughter 18
Art Beat 30
Joey Massino 20
Innovation 11
Our Famous Eve 17
Tyne Cot 8
Choice Bro 9
Neo 6.50

Maximum Height is a really interesting horse. At one stage, his career record was 40:2-5-4... now it's 47:8-5-4! He's won six of his last seven. It's a crazy turnaround.

Whoa, that was outstanding!

Poor old Postman's Daughter - second in a G1 for the third time.

I think she read your post about bringing her A game and it inspired her. :D

Yeah poor Postman's Daughter (!)... does she have a G1 win?

I'm still stunned that was the final G1.

I've only watched 2 replays so far and oh wow first of all congrats on Pinzaara being 4th!

I love the racecaller whose name I can never seem to remember and that was the first time I ever heard him get so quiet and,... yeah that was a hard finish to figure out.

Made him even more endearing.

Haha, yeah! That's George Simon. :)

Postman's Daughter hasn't won a G1 yet! Her biggest win was the G2 Counties Cup in December 2011.

I love him!

Well still... a G2 is pretty good. :)

I just saw the noms for Sat. @ Hastings and I'm happy! The Hombre sand Huffer in the same race? Yea!

Awww I saw Bruce Almighty's name once again and had to look... been a while since he's won one and with 110 starts you think maybe it's time to let the old boy retire? I hope they do...

Veyron's barrier issues resolved

http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...ssues-resolved

That's a really interesting story. I knew he was a big horse, but didn't know he was that big!

Also, NZ Derby winner v NZ Oaks winner in the Australian Oaks this Saturday. Habibi's the better of the two, in my opinion. But More Than Sacred could finish in the money too, hopefully!

Oh geez ed I can't keep track of all of them! So glad you posted that!

Starting to look at which races to play tonight( tomorrow) and kinda depressing seeing Vonusti, Green Birdie, The Jackal and Firebolt @ Eagle Farm (all at odds of like 30/1, 50/1)...

Thought 3 of the 4 were retired. Hope they have safe trips home.

Good luck to Veyron and all the great NZ horses. :)

I wonder how many hands he is.

That's a good question! I'll try to find that out and get back to you.

Wow, SHUKA by 10! :eek:

Well, maybe not quite 10. Got a bit excited. But still, that was phenomenal.

Survived in the HB Cup was extraordinary too - first 3yo to win it since 1977, and only the third since 1958.

One of my favorites and I have never thought to ask this. Glad you did! :)

Why was he scratched, ed?

Oh! Nice news. Haven't seen any replays yet but reading that Sacred Falls won the Doncaster just now sure woke me up...

Fantastic!

I can't find any other reason, so I think it must have been the track conditions.

Great race by Sacred Falls! But, to be fair, Pierro would have won if they'd carried equal weight.

Shuka's final winning margin was "only" seven and a half lengths.

That was SO great to see!

Two in a row now... I think he remembered he doesn't always have to be 2nd. :)

(Seemed like the race caller was getting a kick out of the name Schmeckenbecher there at the end). :D

Great day for MDP... I hadn't realized he had 5 wins on the day.

Thoughts on Mufhasa going to HK for the Champions Mile? I guess he leaves tomorrow....

Any idea who gets the mount?

Funny that in the HK press Ambitious Dragon is getting all the ink when it's Xtension who won it the past two years. (Beadman in 2011 and James Mc Donald last year... wonder who has the mount).

You're probably right about Pierro but it sure was nice to see (no disrespect).

Have you seen this? :eek:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-dail...e-to-US-tycoon

Yeah, I heard about the sale this morning. A bit sad, but I can't wait to see how she goes in the US - I think she'll be great.

I didn't know about her injury in the Oaks. Wow, that really changes everything. What I thought was the worst race of her life was actually incredibly brave.

Good question about who rides Mufhasa in Hong Kong. I have no idea! I'd love to see him do well there, but at the same time I think he's probably done enough and deserves to retire to a nice paddock somewhere soon.

Veyron news - actually he did have an injury.
http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...ydney-campaign

Agree about Mufhasa... I'd rather read about how he's been retired.

Maybe after this...

Mixed feelings about Habibi because of course I'm glad she'll be here and pointed to the BC but I feel bad for her many fans there.

Thanks for the Veyron update, poor guy.

Was looking at the noms for Awapuni... oooh Villifye and Zennista, Park Princess, Belfast Lad, Ripping... looks like fun!

Ripping* hasn't won for like 2 years.... maybe this will be it.

(God I love this name). :o :D

Good luck to Yin Yang Master once again, this time at Te Aroha (R7).

Pretty sure Firebolt was scratched. The others didn't do well at all. :(

:( That is a shame. And, yeah, I'll definitely miss Habibi. But I'll watch her on TV and wave a little NZ flag! She could actually boost our profile and generate some interest in NZ racing - being a Derby-winning filly is a big deal anywhere in the world, so hopefully she'll pick up a few fans.

Whoa, I wasn't planning on going down to Te Rapa this weekend, but I might have to - some REALLY nice races.

Oh you HAVE to go... hadn't realized that Pinzaara was entered!!!!! Asesome!!!

Please wave to Huffer for me.

Weird to see a field with Double Barrel but withOUT The Hombre haha!

Good luck to PInzaara of course, to Ms. Huffer, Nine Pin, Lucky Coutry, Sir Lovesalot, The Grinner, and, in the Travis, Stakes (nice nice field) Postman's Daughter. It would be nice to see her win. :)

SOOOOOOOOO CLOSE!

Fantastic run by Pinzaara and in such a huge field!. Very very nice you must be proud although am wondering if you nearly had a heart attack when Iamishwara passed her. I nearly did and the results were right in front of me so knew it was coming. Very very nice though. Congrats!

This is the only replay I've watched so far but I see that Huffer won and Lucky Country was 2nd in her race.

Don't remember ever hearing of Pimms Time... will watch that one and the rest a little later.

Congrats, ed.

Again, so proud of her. She's just been amazing this summer. Her career before this season was 10:1-1-0. This season, she's 11:1-5-2, with two 4ths as well. So consistent, and she just tries so hard every time.

Here's a quote from what Stephen McKee told us after the race.
'Very rarely have I seen a jockey genuinely surprised at their horse's performance. Sam was today. She said Pinzaara was "going up and down on the same spot" just after the home bend (which was quite boggy), and somehow she managed to dig deeper and find more to rally and finish on strongly. Although she has ridden her quite a few times, I think she was amazed at just how much heart this horse has got.' :)

Pimms Time has come from nowhere, really! She was in rating 65 grade as recently as November, when her career stats were 5:1-0-1. Now they're 12:5-1-1! Her improvement has been astonishing.

Fantastic quote!

What's next for her?

She's getting close to her winter break - she's earned it!

Maybe one more race, the Rotorua Stakes (!!), the weekend after next.

Exciting!

* * *

Mufhasa at Sha Tin today...

http://corporate.hkjc.com/news_image...1517_l_102.jpg

He looks great! :)

Lots of scratches in Yin Yang Masters race. It's still a massive field but maybe?

I would love to see him win. It would be worth the two and a half year wait! :o

Mufhasa 'lame in left fore' and 'substantial blood in trachea' after his race in Hong Kong. :( Really hope he'll be alright.

Haven't watched the race yet - don't really want to after hearing that.

I just went to the site and was about to watch the replay when that comment caught my eye so yeah... I did the same thing and didn't watch. I don't want to. :(

Nice for a horse (Dan Excel) who has consistently been second in the big races to finally win BUT I can't bear to see Mufhasa so yeah... same as you, hope he's okay and that whatever is best for him happens now.

From Mufhasa's Facebook page:

"Thanks to all my concerned fans. I bled yesterday. Unfortunately these things happen. On a bright note I have eaten all my dinner and looking for breakie this morning. I have been out for a walk, and I'm sound and happy :-)"

Hopefully it's not too bad, then. But it might still be career-ending.

Another update: http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...sion-to-owners

Also, Habibi - turns out she suffered a fracture in a leg in the Australian Oaks. Amazingly brave.
http://www.theinformant.co.nz/racing...ctured-pastern